PCT Patent Application WO 02/41660 describes how inverse multiplexing can be used to distribute data communication between a computer system and the Internet over a plurality of telephone lines, so that a combined bandwidth is obtained which is higher than the bandwidth over a single telephone line. For the connection of computer systems in houses with networks located outside the houses, such as the Internet, a wide range of possible connections with networks is known, such as dial-up lines, ISDN lines and ADSL lines and cable television connections. Such networks will be referred to as telecommunication networks in the sense that the network connects nodes remote from each other, in different buildings, with each other, without this being limited to the telephone network.
In this application, the following italicized terms are understood to mean at least the following, respectively. A network is formed by two or more nodes which are at least indirectly connected with each other. A (network) node is at least understood to mean: any device, such as for instance a computer, switching device, or other device, present in a data communication network and connected with one or more other nodes by means of a connection. A(n) (network) end node is a network node located at the end of a network, such as for instance a client computer in a client-server network or a telephone in a telephone network. In general, an end node generates data, while other nodes only transmit data. A connection is understood to mean a physical connection between at least two network nodes which is suitable for the transmission of data-representing signals between the network nodes. A connection may be any suitable medium such as for instance a cable or a wireless radio connection. A connection between nodes in two different (sub)networks is referred to as an inter(sub)network connection, while an intra(sub)network connection is understood to mean a connection between nodes in the same (sub)network.
A multiplexer is at least understood to mean: a device or apparatus which can combine at least two separate flows of data signals into one single flow of multiplex data signals. In this application, this symbol is used for a multiplexer: mux. A demultiplexer is a device which can recover the original flows of data signals from a flow of multiplex data signals. This symbol is used for a demultiplexer: demux. An inverse multiplexer is a device or apparatus which can split one single flow of data signals into at least two separate flows of inverse multiplex data signals. This symbol is used for an inverse multiplexer: mux−1. An inverse demultiplexer is a device or apparatus which can combine flows of inverse multiplex data signals into the original, single flow of data signals. This symbol is used for an inverse demultiplexer: demux−1.
It is noted that both (de)multiplexers and inverse (de)multiplexers may have been arranged to simultaneously operate on two or more incoming flows. It is also noted that both (de)multiplexers and inverse (de)multiplexers are generally known per se in the field of data communication, for instance from Alex C. Snoeren, ‘Adaptive Inverse Multiplexing for Wide-Area Wireless Networks’, in Proceedings of IEEE GlobeCom, Rio de Janeiro, December, 1999. Luiz Magalhaes and Robin Kravets, ‘End-to-End Inverse Multiplexing for Mobile Hosts’, in Proceedings of the 19th Brazilian Symposium on Computer Networks, Florianopolis, Brazil, 2001 and K. Sklower et all, ‘The PPP Multilink Protocol’, IETF RFC 1990, August, 1996.
Data communication networks with subnetworks connected via a connecting system are generally known. For instance, for the connection of computer systems in houses with networks located outside the houses, such as the Internet, there is a wide range of possible data communication networks.
Known are, for instance, networks where there is one single connection per house, with which one single end node, such as a personal computer present in the house, is connected with a dial-up server. The connection may, for instance, comprise a POTS (plain old telephone system) or an ISDN (integrated services digital network) line and modems and other network equipment suitable for this. In this case, the end node forms the only node in a first subnetwork in the house, while the dial-up server forms a node in a second subnetwork located outside the house, which connects the first and second network. However, such a configuration is inefficient because the available capacity of the connection between the subnetworks is not utilized or not completely utilized for most of the time.
It is also known, when there are multiple end nodes in a house, to connect these with a network located outside the house. It is, for instance, known to provide an internal network in a house which comprises multiple end nodes, for instance personal computers, and a node connecting the internal network with the network located outside it, for instance a home router. This internal network then forms a first subnetwork completely located inside the house. The connecting node can then be connected with another subnetwork outside the house, for instance the Internet or the like, by means of a suitable data connection. In that case, by statistical multiplexing, the available capacity of the connection between the subnetworks can be utilized more optimally than when only one end node is present in the first subnetwork, because, with statistical multiplexing, the peaks and troughs in the data flows generated by the different end nodes can average each other out.
However, in particular in networks with computer systems in houses of consumers, but also in other networks, there is a need for an increase of the throughput of data both from and to the end nodes. The throughput to the end nodes is also referred to as “download speed”, while the throughput from the end nodes is also referred to as upload speed”. For increasing a throughput, different solutions are known, such as for instance replacing a narrowband connection by a broadband connection for each individual house. For instance, an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) or a data connection via the television cable of the house with a network located outside the house can be installed to replace a POTS or ISDN line. With these known broadband connections, a download speed can be obtained which is usually between 0.5 and 2 Mbps and an upload speed between 0.1 and 0.5 Mbps.
However, these known solutions for increasing the throughput have the drawback that, although the throughput is sufficient by current standards, there will be a need for a further increase of the throughput in the (near) future. However, increase of this throughput requires great and expensive adjustments to the existing infrastructure, such as for instance the installation of glass fiber cables into the house.
The inverse multiplexing and/or demultiplexing described in PCT Patent Application WO 02/41660 meets this need for increase of the bandwidth. However, the proposed solution has the drawback that each connection can only be used by the end nodes in one individual house. As a result, the bandwidth is utilized inefficiently in time because, for a great part of the time, the maximum available data capacity is not completely used by the end node, for instance because the users of the end nodes are absent for a great part of the time or utilize only a part of the available capacity.